LJ, Library Journal and SLJ, School Library Journal have announced that Criticas book reviews have resumed online. To find them go to www.libraryjournal.com/criticas for the latest coverage. They also have an e-alert you can sign up for.
Criticas reviews adult and children’s Spanish-language titles. When the print edition was stopped, readers asked for these reviews and LJ and SLJ have listened.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Professional Media
As a director of a library system, I rarely read reviews of general fiction or non-fiction for adults or children. We don’t buy in those areas. However, I always look at the reviews of under the professional literature or media heading.
In looking at the September 1, 2009 issue of Library Journal I noticed that the reviews of Professional Media and now “Web-Only.” Just go to www.libraryjournal.com and look under Reviews/professional Media.
I took a look and the reviews are there just as they were in print. I looking at the ones for Aug. 15 there was a book titled Searching 2.0 by Michael Sauers. The only reason I mention this is that I have been in Plinkit committee meetings with Michael and did not know he was writing a book.
Oh the small world of librarianship.
In looking at the September 1, 2009 issue of Library Journal I noticed that the reviews of Professional Media and now “Web-Only.” Just go to www.libraryjournal.com and look under Reviews/professional Media.
I took a look and the reviews are there just as they were in print. I looking at the ones for Aug. 15 there was a book titled Searching 2.0 by Michael Sauers. The only reason I mention this is that I have been in Plinkit committee meetings with Michael and did not know he was writing a book.
Oh the small world of librarianship.
Monday, September 21, 2009
How does your library rank?
For years libraries have been comparing themselves to other libraries. There have been several ways that libraries have been ranked. The Hennen rankings and most recently the LJ Index of Public Library Service 2009 are two such rankings for public libraries. It does not mater what algorithm is used to determine the ranking or which outputs or inputs are used. There are always fine libraries that do not make it to the top of the ranked lists.
Does it mater where your library falls in a ranking? Maybe to the Mayor or the board but does it really mater to the patrons that come into the library on a daily basis. Not really. They want service and service is what you should give them. The support of the community for the library is one of the best gauges of success not some arbitrary number ranking.
That said, if you really want to compare yourself watch what factors you use. Libraries have differing levels of population in relation to their income. Compare yourself using both factors. You will be surprised to see different libraries on each list. The Bibliostat tool that public libraries use to report annual library data can give you quick and easy access to comparison data.
What I find more helpful and interesting if for a library to compare themselves against themselves. Take the same statistics and see how they compare over 5 years. Are they going up or down.? Do they reflect a change in the community, staffing, income? This type of comparison can be much more meaningful for a library that comparisons with others who may or not be like you.
Does it mater where your library falls in a ranking? Maybe to the Mayor or the board but does it really mater to the patrons that come into the library on a daily basis. Not really. They want service and service is what you should give them. The support of the community for the library is one of the best gauges of success not some arbitrary number ranking.
That said, if you really want to compare yourself watch what factors you use. Libraries have differing levels of population in relation to their income. Compare yourself using both factors. You will be surprised to see different libraries on each list. The Bibliostat tool that public libraries use to report annual library data can give you quick and easy access to comparison data.
What I find more helpful and interesting if for a library to compare themselves against themselves. Take the same statistics and see how they compare over 5 years. Are they going up or down.? Do they reflect a change in the community, staffing, income? This type of comparison can be much more meaningful for a library that comparisons with others who may or not be like you.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Strategic Planning
Yesterday, I went to UIUC GSLIS. That is University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign Graduate School of Library and Information Science. I was asked by my friend Nancy Gillfillan to teach a session of her library administration class about planning. I have done this for her 5 or 6 times. Each time I have presented this information I had new information or I focused on the information is a different way.
Overall the presentation went well. There were 25 students in the class. They seemed engaged in the topic and asked some very good questions.
Why with my schedule, do I take the time to teach this class? First I know the topic pretty well and can bring a practical look to a sometimes theoretical topic in library school. Second it keeps me up to date on the process being used for planning. And third but most important it allows me to give back to the library profession. I have an opportunity to have a little impact on the future generation of librarians.
If you have an opportunity to teach a class or present at a program; don’t say no right away. Think about it; share your expertise with others. It’s a good thing.
Overall the presentation went well. There were 25 students in the class. They seemed engaged in the topic and asked some very good questions.
Why with my schedule, do I take the time to teach this class? First I know the topic pretty well and can bring a practical look to a sometimes theoretical topic in library school. Second it keeps me up to date on the process being used for planning. And third but most important it allows me to give back to the library profession. I have an opportunity to have a little impact on the future generation of librarians.
If you have an opportunity to teach a class or present at a program; don’t say no right away. Think about it; share your expertise with others. It’s a good thing.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Farm Progress Show 2009
Next week is the 2009 Farm Progress Show (FPS) in Decatur at Progress City just north of the Richland Community College Campus. This will be the fifth FPS where Rolling Prairie and its member libraries have participated. As I write the FPS Committee is busily placing labels in the hundreds of books donated by member libraries. These paperback books will be given away during the three days of the show. What does that label say? “a gift from your Illinois Library.”
Preparing for the FPS is a daunting task. It begins nearly a year before the show and starts with RPLS asking librarians to serve on a planning committee. The committee helps plan the booth, plan fund raising activities to pay for the booth registration, helps organize volunteers to work at the booth, solicit paperback books for giveaway, and numerous other tasks.
Monday, we will be setting up the booth, then Sept. 1, 2, & 3 librarians will greet Farmers, FFA members, Agribusiness folks and kids at the booth. We will have free books, raffles and other giveaways. By late Thursday afternoon, the books will be gone, the booth taken down, packed up and moved back to RPLS. All involved will be exhausted but excited about all the people they will have met and the stories they will tell us about their home library.
Preparing for the FPS is a daunting task. It begins nearly a year before the show and starts with RPLS asking librarians to serve on a planning committee. The committee helps plan the booth, plan fund raising activities to pay for the booth registration, helps organize volunteers to work at the booth, solicit paperback books for giveaway, and numerous other tasks.
Monday, we will be setting up the booth, then Sept. 1, 2, & 3 librarians will greet Farmers, FFA members, Agribusiness folks and kids at the booth. We will have free books, raffles and other giveaways. By late Thursday afternoon, the books will be gone, the booth taken down, packed up and moved back to RPLS. All involved will be exhausted but excited about all the people they will have met and the stories they will tell us about their home library.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Kiki
What is kiki? It is a magazine for girls ages 8 and older. When I look at the magazine I think of girls in grades 4-8th grade. It contains articles on fashion, business, health, girls from other parts of the world and more. The girls in the magazine are real girls, not models. There is no advertizing and it won the Mom’s Choice 2009 Magazine of the Year award.
I often hear librarians say they are looking for a good magazine for preteen or early teenage girls. Well this just might be the magazine for them to look at. There are 4 issues a year for $26 but they are a jam packed 80 pages of good stuff. Want to see sample articles go to their website.
I often hear librarians say they are looking for a good magazine for preteen or early teenage girls. Well this just might be the magazine for them to look at. There are 4 issues a year for $26 but they are a jam packed 80 pages of good stuff. Want to see sample articles go to their website.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Science for Libraries
One of the Poster Sessions at ALA was entitled “Educating Einsteins without Evaporating Your Budget”. It is a website that brings together web science resources and a link to a portal where you can save your own favorite sites.
As you know science resources can be expensive. Tracking quality sites on the Internet is time consuming. This resource was part of an LSTA grant and is geared towards New York requirements but there are many resources that teachers and librarians in other parts of the country can benefit from.
If you would like to go to the Science for Libraries site click here.
The creators of the site were Alaina Cauchie, alaina.cauchie@gmail.com and Kelly Sanders, KSanders1214@aol.com. If you have questions email them.
As you know science resources can be expensive. Tracking quality sites on the Internet is time consuming. This resource was part of an LSTA grant and is geared towards New York requirements but there are many resources that teachers and librarians in other parts of the country can benefit from.
If you would like to go to the Science for Libraries site click here.
The creators of the site were Alaina Cauchie, alaina.cauchie@gmail.com and Kelly Sanders, KSanders1214@aol.com. If you have questions email them.
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